Slider for fasteners



G. E. PRENTICE SLIDER FOR FASTENERS Filed June 26, 1950 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES SLIDER FOB FASTENERS George E. Prentice, Berlin, Conn., assigner to G. E. Prentice Manufacturing Company, New Britain, Conn.. a corporation of Connecticut Application June 26, 1930, Serial No. 463,930

29 Claims.

This invention pertains to fastening devices of the class commonly known as separable. or interlocking, fasteners of which the patent to Prentice, No. 1,658,392, February 7, 1928, may be cited as an example. Such fasteners in general comprise complemental series of fastener elements at the opposite sides of the gap which is to be closed, the elements of the opposed series being moved into and out of cooperating relationship by means of a slider having cam-like guides designedr for the purpose. When these camguides are of such slope and/'or radius of curvature as to insure ease of operation, the sliden tends to slip and allow the gap to open inadvertently when subjected to strain. Accordingly attempts have been made to provide retaining or locking devices to prevent such accidental movement of the slider. In order to simplify the construction and the operation as much as possible, it has been proposed to associate such locking or retaining meanswith the usual pull tab which is provided for actuating the slider, and in such constructions it has been common to cause the retaining device to come into action when the pull tab is released by the operator and under the action of gravity hangs downward from its point of support.

However, in some garments or other articles to which such fasteners are applied, the gap is closed by upward movement of the slider, while in others the gap is closed by downward movement of the slider. It is thus necessary, if a slider of this kind is to be of universal utility, that its locking and retaining means be equally effective whether the slider be moved upwardly or downwardly in closing the gap, but this has not ordinarily been the case with sliders having pull actuated locking means, so that garment manufacturers, for example, have commonly been obliged to provide themselves with fasteners of two distinct forms to meet their different requirements.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a double locking slider of universal applicability, but which at the same time is very simple and inexpensive, and which is reliably retained in position after the gap has been closed, whether by upward or downward movement of the slider, the retaining means provided being so associated with the pull tab as to become operative when the pull is released by the operator.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention by way of example, and in the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, to

large scale, illustrating a fastener of the type re-A ferred to, provided with a slider embodying the present invention and arranged to close the gap by upward movement; i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, showing the parts positioned to permit movement of the vslider longitudinally of the series of fastener elements;

Fig. 3 is a view similar `to Fig. 2, but showing the pull tab in depending or locking position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the slider as arranged for closing a gap Aby downward movement, the pull tab being in the locking position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a rivet or pull retaining device forming a part of the improved slider;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a composite view showing in side and end elevation the pivot member or shaft which 15 supports the tab;

Fig. 8 is an edge elevation of the pull tab, removed from the slider; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views, similar respectively to Figs. 3 and 4, of a modified for of slider.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, the numerals I and 2 indicate respectively two flexible stringers or tapes, preferably having beaded or thickened edges, and adapted to support the opposed series 3 and 3a of fastener elements. These elements are of independent unit type, such for example as shown in the Prentice patent above referred to, but are illustrated merely for the purpose of indicating the utility of the present invention and by way of example of fastener elements of this general type. As is usual, the upper ends of the stringers may be provided with stops 4, and the lower ends may be provided with similar stops, not here a5 shown.

'I'he slider 5 which formsthe immediate subject matter ofthe present invention `comprises front and rear wings 6 and l, respectively, united by a relatively narrow neck portion 8. The wings 6 and l, and the neck 8 may, if desired, be formed integrally from sheet metal and bent to proper shape, or the body of the fastener comprising the front and rear wings and the neck may be made in any other appropriate way, as 45 for example by die-casting. In the device here shown, members 9 and I0 having curved outer surfaces, project upwardly from the lateral edges of the neck 8, the curved outer surfaces of these members acting as guides to assist the fastener '50 elements 3 and 3al in entering the converging guide channels providedfor them in the body of the slide. The guide channels are of the usual Y-shape, being defined by appropriate flanges or other confining members common to the art. 55 In order to prevent the front and rear wings 6 and 'l from spreading abnormally, I provide a rivet member Il preferably of substantially thecrosssection shown in Fig. 6, the smaller or tapering edge of the rivet constituting the dividing element 30 at the junction of the diverging channels within the slider, and the non-circular cross-section of the rivet preventing it from rotating relative to the wings. This rivet member is provided-with an enlarged head I2 at its front end, having a shoulder I3 which engages the front face of the wing 6, and the opposite end of the rivet is headed over at Il against lthe outer surface of the rear wing 1 thus preventing the wings from spreading apart. Thehead I2 of the rivet constitutes convenient means for retaining the slider actuating pull, and to this end is provided with a downwardly projecting, somewhat resilient hook portion I5, whose free end IB is disposed closely adjacent to or in contact with the outer surface of the frontwing 6 at a point substantially spaced from the neck 3. The hook member I5 is provided with a recess I1 open towardlthe front wing thereby to provide a journal opening whose axis extends transversely of the slider and preferably is located substantially midway between the top and bottom of the slider.

' 'I'he pull tab for operating the slider is preferably of substantially T-shape in vertical section, the crossbar of the T constituting the cam portion of the pull as hereinafter described, while the longitudinal part of the T constitutes the nger-engaging portion,the pivotal axis of the pull preferably being substantially at the intersection of its transverse and longitudinal parts. In the specific embodiment herein illustrated, the pull is provided with a pivot member which is separate from the finger-engaging portion and which consists of the central cylindrical part or shaft I3 which turns in the journal opening or recess I1, and the flattened end portions I9 and 20 which are here shown as of substantially elliptical cross section (Fig. 7). The finger-engaging portion 2| of the pull tab may be made of sheet metal by stamping and bending, or in any other suitable way and of any desired material, and in the embodiment illustrated is furnished with substantially elliptical loop members 22 and 23 spaced to straddle the rivet head. 'I'hese loop members are elongate in a direction at right angles to the plane of the substantially fiat main body or finger engaging portion of the pull tab with their shorter axes substantially in said plane, and are adapted 'snugly to embrace the opposite ends I9 and 20 of the pivot member, the outer surfaces of these loop members 22 and 23 constituting smoothly rounded cams symmetrical with respect to the plane of the pull tab, as will be described hereinafter. In the arrangement show n in Figs. 1 to .4 inclusive, the front wing 6 is provided with an opening whose opposite ends 32 and 33 are of sufiicient size to permit the swinging therethrough of the loop members 22 and 23 in either direction, that is, by a swinging movement of the tab 2| either upwardly or downwardly from the position of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, the cam loops 22 and 23 when thus swung through the openings are adapted firmly to press the fastener elements 3 and 3' against the rear wing 1, or conversely to pull, through the intermediary of the rivet member I I, the rear wing firmly against the fastener elements. The shape and position of the cam loops 22 and 23 is, however, such that when the tab 2| extends outwardly from the wings, for instance as in Fig. 2, the slider is free for movement.

In assembling the slider, the body of the slider is first formed by bending or otherwise as above described. 'I'he ends of the pivot are then fitted into the loops 22 and 23 of the pull tab, and the central part I8 of the pivot is placed within the recess I1 of the rivet head I2. The rivet is then passed through suitable aligned openings in the front and rear wings 6 and 1 and is riveted over against the o uter surface of the rear wing as above described. With .the pull device disposed substantially in the slider actuating position shown in 5 Fig. 2, the fastening device may be assembled by threading the slider over the opposed series of fasteners.

In use, when it is desired to move the pull device for closing the gap the pull is swung out to the operative position of Fig. 2, and is used in moving the slider. When the gap is closed, the pull is released or preferably pushed downwardly and rearwardly to the position of Fig. 3, during which operation the cam surfaces of the loops 22 and 23 frictionally engage the front faces of the fastener elements/3 so as to create sufficient friction between these elements and the rear wail 1 of the slider body to retain the slider in adjusted position, the slight resiliency'of the hook member affording a somewhat yielding abutment which facilitates the operation of the tab and tends to retain the latter in locking position. By swinging the pull tab out toward the horizontal position, the friction is relieved and the slider is free for movement.

Due to the symmetrical shape of the loops 22 and 23, that is to say of the actuating cam surfaces, substantially the same locking or retaining effect is produced whether the pull be swung into the locking position shown in Fig. 3 or into the second locking position shown in Fig. 4, said locking position being or more apart and at opposite sides of the actuating position of the pull. Accordingly, when the slider is used, as in Fig. 4, for closing the gap by downward movement, the release of the pull tab (or preferably the positive movement of the tab into its depending position) results in retaining the slider in adjusted position in the same way as described above.

It is thus evident that the slider is of universal applicability, operating in the same way whether applied for closing a gap by upward or downward movement, and yet the double locking slider thus constructed is of the simplest character, requiring 4.5l

elements 3 between the opposed inner surfaces 55.

of the two wings of the slider. Accordingly in. this construction, the opening in the front wing of the previously described slider is not utilized, but the front wing 6 is preferably continuous except for the opening necessary to receive the rivet 60 member II corresponding generally to the rivet member II of the'other form of the device. In the form of device of Figs. 9 and l0, the held I 2* of the rivet member, and the recess I1* therein are so ,disposed with respect to the front 65 wing 6 of the slider that the camelements of the pull tab are adapted to press against the front wing 6, and` in either of the positions of Figs. 9 and 10 to spring or flex the front wing 6 back toward the wing 1 and against the fastener 70 elements 3, frictionally to clamp the slider in adjusted position. As in the previously described embodiment, swinging the pull tab 2i 'out toward the yhorizontal position relieves the friction and enables the slider to move freely. In the 75 form of slider of Figs. 9 and 10, the head I2'l of the rivet member I I is provided with a shoulderm I3* corresponding in function to the shoulder I3 of therivet for the slider of the other figures.

While two desirable arrangements have been described as illustrative of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to these particular embodiments as to shape, size, and proportion of parts, and that the substitution of equivalents may be made without departing from the spirit of the inven- `tion, and while the specific construction of the pull and its pivot member or shaft herein illustrated and described is desirable for convenience in manufacture, I contemplate the use of a pull tab having the pivot member or shaft thereof formed integrally with the pull member or otherwise constructed within the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1; A slider for use with fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for' the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider.- being adapted for alternative use with. fasteners which are closed by upward or downward movement of the slider, respectively, and comprising spaced front and rear wings, said slider having a pull for moving the slider lengthwiseof the series of fastener elements, the pull being mounted to pivot about an axis extending transversely of the direction of movement of the slider and located substantially midway of the length of the slider, the pull normally Adepending from its axis toward that end of the slider which for the time being is the lower endffthe pull carrying means operative, when the pull extends toward either end of the slider, respectively, to clamp the fastener elements between the wings.

2. A slider for use with fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider being adapted for alternative use with fasteners which are closed by upward or downward movement of the slider, respectively, and comprising spaced front and rear wings and a pull vretaining element, and a pull mounted on said retaining element to pivot about an axis disposed at a substantially fixed distance from one end of the slider so that when not in use for moving the slider the pull may depend from its axis towardr that end of the slider which for the time being is its lower end, and means operative by the pull, when the latter is swung to either of approximately opposite sides of its axis toward the series of fastener elements, to cause one wing at least to iiex and approach the fastener elements whereby to lclamp the slider in adiusted position.

3. A slider forfasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider being adapted for alternative use with fasteners which are closed by upward or downward movement of the slider, respectively, and comprising front and rear wings and a. pull retaining member, the wings being spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, a T-shaped pull for moving the slider, the pull being mounted to pivot on the retaining member about a definite axis located substantially midway betwen the top and bottom of the slider and extending transversely of .the stringers, the pull normally depending from its axis toward that end of the slider which for the time being is the ,lower end, and cam means moving in response to movement of the pull about its axis and thereby acting to force one wing of gageable fastener elements, said slider having,

Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings and a rivet secured to: one atleast of..-said wings, and means comprisiig apulltab supprted by the rivet, the pull Y tab' consisting'of sheet material having a substantially at finger engaging portion and cam means disposed adjacent to its pivotal axis, said cam means comprising smoothly rounded transversely elongate surfaces operative alternatively to exert a reactive force between the rivet and one wing of the slider, the cam being so shaped that such force is exerted whenever the tab is moved 'eitherupwardly or downwardly into substantially=paralle1 relation to the front Wing of the slider thereby forcing said wing toward the rear wingand clamping the fastener elements betweerr'the wings to hold the slider in adjusted position.

5. A slider for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying .series of interengaging fastener. elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider being adapted for alternative use with fasteners which are closed by upward or downward movement of the slider, respectively, and comprising guide members spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, a pull, and means providing a pivotal axis for said pull, such axis being fixed against movement longitudinally of the front wing, the pull being operative to move the slider longitudinally of the series of fastener elements and normally depending from its pivotal axis toward that end of the slider which for the time being is the lower end, and transversely elongate cam elements having smoothly rounded pressure applying surfaces operative, when the pull is so depending, for causing said guide members to approach and grip the fastener elements between them, thereby to retain the slider in adjusted position irrespective of the direction of movement of the slider necessary to close the fastener.

6. A slider for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider being adapted for alternative use with fasteners which are closed by upward or downward movement of the slider, respectively, the slider comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, and a substantially T-shaped pull mounted to pivot about a fixed point of the slider, the axis of the pivot being substantially at the intersection of its transverse member with its longitudinal member, the pull normally depending from its pivotal axis toward that end of the slider which for the time being is the lower end, and cam means comprising smoothly rounded pressure applying surfaces operative alternatively to engage the front wing with a line contact and being so associated with the pull device as to cause the wings to approach and grip the fastener elements between them when the pull is in depending position.

7. A slider for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider being adapted for alternative use with fasteners which are closed by upward or'downward movement of the slider, respectively, and comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, a pull, means on the slider providing a pivotal axis for the pull, said axis being at a ilxed point of the slider, the pull being movable from slider actuating position to locking position at either side, respectively, of its actuating position, and transversely elongate smoothly rounded cam surfaces associated with the pull for causing the wings to approach and grip the Afastener elements between them when the pull is in either of said locking positions.

8. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y- shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet having an enlarged head at one end provided with a transverse journal opening, a pivot member journaled in said opening, a pull tab fixed to said pivot member, and cam means symmetrical with reference to the plane of the tab, said cam means comprising transversely elongate smoothly rounded surfaces engageable with the adjacent wing when the tab occupies either of two positions substantially 180 apart, and adapted when so engaging the wing to cause one wing to approach the other wing.

9. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet having a resilent hook portion at one end providing a transverse recess within the bend of the hook, a pivot member disposed in said recess, a pull tab secured to the pivot member, said tab having cam elements symmetrical with respect to the plane of the tab and engageable with the adjacent wing when the tab occupies different predetermined positions, whereby to force one wing toward the other wing.

10. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y- shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising spaced substantially parallel front and rear wings and a relatively narrow neck uniting said wings, a rivet adjacent to said neck, the rivet extending through aligned openings in the front and rear wings, said rivet having heads at opposite ends to prevent the wings from spreading, one of said heads having a hook-likeextension whose free end is disposed close to the outer surface of the adjacent wing in opposed relation thereto, and a pull tab having a pivot member disposed within the bend of the hook-like extension, the pivoted end of the tab having spaced cam means disposed and arranged to engage the adjacent wing and to force the latter toward the opposite wing when the tab is disposed on either side of its pivot and along the adjacent. wing.

11. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising spaced substantially parallel front and rear wings and a relatively narrow neck uniting said wings, a rivet adjacent to said neck, the rivet extending through aligned openings in the front and rear wings, the rivet having elements engageable with the outer faces of the respective wings to limit their separation,`a pull tab, a. substantially U-shaped hook member at one end of the rivet,the free end of the hook member being opposed to the outer surface of the adjacent wing, thereby to provide a journal opening, the body of the rivet being of non-circular cross section to prevent rotation thereof relative to the wings, the pull tab having a pivot member extending through said journal opening, and substantially symmetrical cam means at the pivoted end of the tab engageable with the adjacent wing to force the latter toward the other wing when the pull tab is disposed on either side of its pivot and substantially parallel to the front wing.

12. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengageable fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising spaced front and rear wings, a rivet extending through aligned openings in the front and rear wings, said rivet comprising a single member extending between the wings and having heads at opposite ends to prevent the wings from spreading abnormally, one of said heads being provided with bearing means, and a pull tab having a pivot element journaled in said bearing means, the tab having cam elements projecting from its opposite sides adjacent to its pivoted end, said cam elements being elongate transversely and being respectively engageable with the adjacent wing to force the latter toward the oppcste wing when either side of the tab is arranged adjacent to said wing.

13. In a separable fastener of the class described, the combination with flexible stringers carrying spaced interlocking fastener elements, of a fastener operating slider having convergent guide channels for the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, means providing a journal bearing having its axis transverse to the length of the slider and disposed substantially paralleland adjacent to the outer face of one wing, and a pull tab having pivot means arranged to rock in said bearing, the tab having cam elements projecting from opposite sides thereof near its pivoted end, said cam elements having transversely elongate smoothly rounded surfaces alternatively engageable with the adjacent Wing to force the latter toward the opposite wing when either side of the tab is disposed closely adjacent the said wing.

14. In a separable fastener of the class described, the combination with flexibleV stringers carrying spaced rinterlocking fastener elements, of a fasteneroperating slider having convergent guide channels for the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings,

means providing a journal bearing having its axis transverse to the length of the slider and disposed substantially parallel and adjacent to the outer face of one wing, and a pull tab having pivot means arranged to rock in said bearing, the tab comprising a main or finger engaging portion and oppositely directed projections adjacent to its pivoted end so that it is of substantially T-shape in longitudinal section, the outer ends of such projections being smoothly rounded, the pivotal axis of the pull being substantially at the intersection of its transverse and lnger-engaging portions, said oppositely directed projections constituting cam means respectively engageable with the adjacent wing to force the latter toward the opposite wing when either side of the tab is arranged adjacent to the latter.

15. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear Wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings,\said rivet having an enlarged head at one end provided with a transverse journal opening, that part of the rivet which is exposed between the wings tapering in width from its top toward its bottom to constitute a divider element at the junction of the guide channels of the slider, a pivot member journaled in said opening, a pull tab fixed to said pivot member, and cam means symmetrical with reference to the plane of the tab, said cam means being engageable with the adjacent wing when the tab occupies either of two positions substantially apart and being adapted when so engaging the wing to cause one Wing to approach the other.

16. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengageable fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive a series of fastener elements between them, and a pull device on the slider for moving the latter, said pull device having cam portions so disposed and arranged as to exert frictional pressure against longitudinal faces of the fastener elements when the pull device extends either upwardly or downwardly in substantially parallel relation to the adjacent Wing, thereby holding the slider in the desired adjusted position, one of said wings having an opening through which the cam portion of the pull extends for engagement with the fastener elements.

17. A slider, for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, a pull for actuating the slider, means pivotally securing the pull to the slider, said pulll including a cam surface disposed and arranged directly to engage the front surfaces only of the fastener elements with frictional pressure, thereby to exert a camming action to force the fastener elements against the rear wing, the front wing being so shaped as to permit engagement of the cam surface of the pull with the fastener elements.

18. A slider for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, the front Wing having an opening, a pull pivotally mounted at the front of the slider and having a portion disposed and arranged to extend through said opening, said portion including a cam surface so constructed and arranged as frictionally to engage the front faces of the fastener elements and to press said elements against the rear wing of the slider.

19. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposedseries of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y- shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet projecting beyond the outer face of one wing, a pull device pivoted to the projecting end of the rivet, and cam means connected to the pul'l device and operative when the pull device is disposed at either of approximately opposite sides of its piv'- ot and substantially parallel to the front of the adjacent wing to clamp the fastener elements against at least one of the wings.

20. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y- shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings,a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet having an enlarged head partly overlying one of the wings, 35

the pull tab and operative, when the tab is dis- 40 posed in either of twopositions, substantially 180 apart, to clamp the fastener elements against at le'ast one of the wings.

2l, A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising spaced substantially parallel front and rear wings of sheet material, and a relatively narrow neck integrally uniting said wings at one end, a rivet extending through aligned openings in the wings and having at one end a head provided with a hook-like extension Whose free end is disposed closely adjacent to the outer face of the adjacent wing in opposed relation thereto at apoint substantially midway of the length of the latter, said latter wing having a cam receiving passage therethrough, and a pull tab having a pivot member disposed within the bend of said hook-like head, the pull tab having cam means adjacentl to its pivot, said cam means being so shaped and arranged that when the tab is disposed substantially parallel to the adjacent wing, the cam means extends through said passage and frictionally engages the front face of a fastener element or elements and urges said element or elements toward the rear wing.

22. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet having an enlarged head at one end provided with a transverse journal' opening, a pivot member journaled in said opening, and a pull tab fixed to said pivot member, the tab having cam elements which are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to the plane ofsaid tab and which are frictionally engageable with the front faces of the fastener elements when the tab occupies either of two positions substantially apart, and which are adapted when so engaging the fastener elements to force them against the rear wing, the front wing being so shaped as to permit engagement of the cam element with the fastener elements.

23. A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having Y-shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising front and rear wings, a rivet passing through aligned openings in the wings, said rivet having a resilient hook portion at one end providing a transverse recess within the bend of the hook, a pivot member disposed in said recess, a pull tab secured to the pivot member, said tab having cam elements symmetrical with respect to the plane of the tab and engageable with the fastener elements frictional'ly to retain the slider against movement, the wing next adjacent to the pull having an opening therethrough for the passage of said cam elements.

24. In a fastening of the class described comprising series of interengageable fastening elements, the combination of a slider for en casrnrz and disengaging the fastening elements, the slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, a yieldable support carried by the slider, a pull tab mounted to pivot on the yieldable support about a substantially fixed axis disposed transversely of the rows of fastening elements, and cam means moving in response to swing ofthe pull tab, said cam m'eans being operable in each of a plurality of diil'erent positions of. the pull tab for locking the slider in selected position along the rows of fastener elements.

25. A slider for use in engaging and disengaging opposed series of fastener elements by movement longitudinally of said series, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, the slider comprising spaced front and rear wings and a connecting neck portion, the front wing having an opening therethrough, a pull-retaining member having a pull-retaining part overlying the opening in the front wing, a pull pivotally engaging said pull-retaining part and arranged to swing about an axis substantially fixed relatively to the length of the slider, said pull having a finger-engaging portion and having cam means adjacent to its pivotal axis, said cam means comprising parts which project substantially symmetrically with reference to the finger-engaging portion of the pull, the respective cam parts being so disposed and arranged that whenever the pull is moved about its axis so as to extend in either direction lengthwise of the series of fastener elements, one of said cam parts extends through the opening in the front wing into frictional engagement with the front faces of the fastener elements, thereby locking the slider in adjusted position.

26, A slider for use with separable fasteners of the kind having opposed series of interengageable fastener elements, said slider having Y- shaped guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements and comprising spaced substantially parallel front and rear wings of sheet material and a relatively narrow neck integrally uniting said wings at one end, the front wing having an opening therethrough, a pull-retaining element having a portion extending longitudinally of the outer face of the front wing, said portion having a transverse recess, anda pull comprising a anger-engaging portion and a transverse pivot member, said` pivot member being disposed within said recess,

thepull having cam-like projections adjacent to its pivotal axis, the cam-like projections being substantially symmetrical with respect to the plane of the finger-engaging portion of the pull and being so shaped and arranged that when the finger-engaging portion of the pull is disposed substantially parallel to the adjacent wing one of said cam-like projections extends through the opening in the front wing and frictionally engages the outer face of a fastener element or elements, thereby clamping the slider in adjusted position.

2'7. A slider for fasteners of the kind having stringers carrying series of interengaging fastener elements, said slider having convergent guide channels for the reception of 'the opposed series of fastener elements and having a body comprising front and rear wings spaced to receive the series of fastener elements between them, a pull for actuating the slider, and pivot means defining a fixed axis about which the pull may swing relative to the slider body, said pull including a cam surface operative to engage the outer surface of one of the fastener elements with frictional pressure, thereby to exert a cam action to force the fastener elements against the rear wing, one of the wings having a passage therethrough to permit engagement of the fastener element by the cam surface of the pull.

28. In a separable fastenerof the class described, the combination with flexible stringers carrying spaced interlocking fastener elements, of a fastener operating slider comprising a body portion provided with convergent guide channels for the reception of the opposed series of fastener elements, and an actuating pull comprising a finger-engaging portion and a transverse portion, the opposite ends of said transverse portion constituting alternatively operative slider-locking cams, and pivot means for the pull defining a pivotal axis substantially at the junction of the finger-engaging portion with the transverse portion, said axis being fixed longitudinally of the slider and extending transversely of the latter.

29. In a separable fastener of the class described, the combination with exible stringers carrying spaced interlocking fastener elements, of a fastener operating slider comprising a body portion provided with convergent guide channels for the reception of. the opposed series of fastener element, and a T-shaped actuating `pull comprising a finger-engaging portion and a transverse portion, the opposite ends of said transverse portion constituting alternatively operative slider-locking cams, and pivot means for the pull defining a pivotal axis substantially at the junction of the finger-engaging portion with the transverse portion, said axis being fixed longitudinally of the slider and extending transversely of the latter.

GEORGE E. PREN'I'ICE. 

